Lorna Simpson's custom-designed Brooklyn studio, created by architect David Adjaye in 2006, has been listed for sale at $6.5 million. The 3,300-square-foot, four-story property at 208 Vanderbilt Avenue in Fort Greene features a double-height great room, three bedrooms, a rear garden, and was originally built as a live/work space for the artist and her then-husband James Casebere. The listing is handled by Leslie Marshall and Nick Hovsepian of the Corcoran Group. Simpson, whose survey exhibition "Lorna Simpson: Source Notes" is currently on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, has moved her primary practice to a larger nearby space, using the Vanderbilt Avenue property for archives and events.
The sale matters because it highlights the intersection of art, architecture, and real estate in New York, showcasing a rare property designed by a world-renowned architect for a pioneering conceptual artist. Adjaye's first U.S. project, the studio reflects Simpson's shift from photography to painting and her deep ties to Brooklyn. The listing also underscores the ongoing market for artist-built spaces and the legacy of creative communities in Fort Greene.